


Easter Vigil

by abp



Series: Billy and Teddy's Excellent Holiday Adventures [7]
Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-31
Updated: 2013-03-31
Packaged: 2017-12-07 02:13:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/742970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abp/pseuds/abp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy asks Tommy to go to Easter mass with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Easter Vigil

**Author's Note:**

> I just want to explain before anyone gets angry (if anyone would?) that while I don't believe Teddy is religious, he was canonically raised so. And I think he views it as tradition. This is him trying to recapture the past.

“Tommy?”

He looked up from his place on the couch, eyeing Teddy with intrigue. “Hmm?”

Teddy sat down beside him, fidgeting and biting at his bottom lip. “I was wondering,” his voice was uncertain. “if you’d go to mass with me.”

Tommy raised an eyebrow. “Mass?”

“Easter Vigil,” Teddy confirmed with a nod. “My mom always used to—and I thought you might—“ His discomfort was almost palpable.

“You didn’t go last year.”

“It didn’t feel right,” he admitted, wringing his hands and staring downward. “But this year… I think it would help.”

Tommy nodded slightly, features softening momentarily before he refocused his energy on being resistant. “Why me? Why not Billy?” Because it was clear to Tommy that, if he was being asked, Billy had been passed over.

Teddy shrugged helplessly. “I—he’s done so much for me. And I know he’d understand, but…” he trailed off with a sigh. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m not ready to share it with him.” His gaze flickered back up to Tommy’s face. “But you’ve gone before.”

Tommy snorted. “And hated it.”

“You don’t have to if—“

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t,” he grumbled, playing up his annoyance.

Teddy smiled softly. “Thanks.”

“I’m wearing jeans though. None of that dressing up stuff,” Tommy warned, grimacing at the thought—and the memories he liked to suppress.

Teddy gave a chuckle. “Don’t worry, me too.”

They left that night with just enough time to get to mass. Tommy groaned and whined amiably the whole way there, but was mercifully silent when they arrived and slipped in the back of the church. Teddy almost forgot he was there—could almost imagine _she_ was beside him as familiar words washed over him and fell from his lips. It was a little bit like coming home. He had to focus on the readings (and not on his memories) to keep the tears from his eyes.

When it was over and they were back out on the street, Teddy felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and stared down at the ground until Tommy nudged him.

“You alright?”

Teddy shrugged. “I think.” There was something cathartic about it—about being close to her and the traditions they had had. But at the same time, the wound was still there and it _hurt_ anew. “I’m glad you came,” he murmured after a moment.

Tommy shrugged gruffly. “Figured you shouldn’t be alone.”

They fell back into silence, Teddy lingering in thought. Then Tommy added, “You totally owe me a pizza though.”

Teddy laughed and grinned. “Fair enough.”

That night, tucked away in some cheap and greasy pizza place, they started their own Easter tradition. In the years to come, Teddy would stop going to Easter Vigils. Would stop feeling _her_ there and stop clutching at every hint of a memory. But this—pizza dripping with grease and their bad jokes—lived on. And when Teddy would look around their group of friends (it changed each year, though always included him and Tommy), he thought it was for the better.


End file.
